Payson Observes Two Memorial Day Services

Payson's mayor elect, Ken Murphy, will make his first public appearance since the election at one of two local Memorial Day services planned for Monday, May 27 both of which are open to the public.

The first event is scheduled for 9 a.m. at Payson Pioneer Cemetery, and the second is planned for 11 a.m. at Mountain Meadows Memorial Park, off Upper Round Valley Road.

According to Anna Mae Deming, long-time sponsor of the observance at Payson Pioneer Cemetery, the event will feature guest speaker Col. Art Stone, USAF (Ret.), the Don Gibson Group, bugler Gil Gifford and members of local veterans' organizations.

The guest speaker at the Mountain Meadows observance will be Murphy, who'll be joined in the proceedings by the Luke AFB Honor Guard, the Civil Air Patrol Cadets, Bishop Jim Stewart (delivering the invocation), bugler Gil Gifford and local veterans' groups.

Refreshments will be served following the official proceedings.

More than 200 area veterans are interred at Mountain Meadows Memorial Park, and more than 160 are in Pioneer Cemetery, Jim Gibson, director of the Messinger Funeral Home in Payson, said.

Gibson said he hopes that, beginning Memorial Day, a miniature flag will be maintained at each veteran's gravesite on a perpetual basis.